[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15847-15848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7041]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request--Safety 
Standard for Bicycle Helmets

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments 
on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from 
manufacturers and importers of bicycle helmets. The collection of 
information is in regulations implementing the Safety Standard for 
Bicycle Helmets (16 CFR Part 1203). These regulations establish testing 
and recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers and importers of 
bicycle helmets subject to the standard. The Commission will consider 
all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an 
extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office 
of Management and Budget.

DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary 
not later than May 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed to the Office of the 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, 
or delivered to that office, room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, 
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Alternatively, comments may be filed by 
telefacsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail to [email protected]. 
Comments should be captioned ``Bicycle Helmets.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
copy of 16 CFR Part 1203, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of 
Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, D.C. 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2226, or by 
e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1994, Congress passed the ``Child Safety 
Protection Act,'' which, among other things, included the ``Children's 
Bicycle Helmet Safety Act of 1994'' (Pub. L. 103-267, 108 Stat. 726). 
This law directed the Commission to issue a final standard applicable 
to bicycle helmets that would replace several existing voluntary 
standards with a single uniform standard that would include provisions 
to protect against the risk of helmets coming off the heads of bicycle 
riders, address the risk of injury to

[[Page 15848]]

children, and cover other issues as appropriate. The Commission issued 
the final bicycle helmet standard in 1998. It is codified at 16 CFR 
Part 1203.
    The standard requires all bicycle helmets manufactured after March 
10, 1999, to meet impact-attenuation and other requirements. The 
standard also contains testing and recordkeeping requirements to ensure 
that bicycle helmets meet the standard's requirements. Certification 
regulations implementing the standard require manufacturers, importers, 
and private labelers of bicycle helmets subject to the standard to (1) 
perform tests to demonstrate that those products meet the requirements 
of the standard, (2) maintain records of those tests, and (3) affix 
permanent labels to the helmets stating that the helmet complies with 
the applicable standard. The certification regulations are codified at 
16 CFR Part 1203, Subpart B.
    The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by 
manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of bicycle helmets 
subject to the standard to help protect the public from risks of injury 
or death associated with head injury associated with bicycle riding. 
More specifically, this information helps the Commission determine 
whether bicycle helmets subject to the standard comply with all 
applicable requirements. The Commission also uses this information to 
obtain corrective actions if bicycle helmets fail to comply with the 
standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of injury to the 
public.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information in the certification regulations under control number 
3041-0127. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on July 
31, 2001. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of 
approval without change for the collection of information in the 
certification regulations.

B. Estimated Burden

    The Commission staff estimates that approximately 30 firms 
manufacture or import bicycle helmets subject to the standard. The 
Commission staff estimates that the certification regulations will 
impose an average annual burden of about 1,000 hours on each of those 
firms. That burden will result from conducting the testing required by 
the regulations and maintaining records of the results of that testing. 
The total annual burden imposed by the regulations on manufacturers and 
importers of bicycle helmets is approximately 30,000 hours. However, 
the Commission staff is unable to estimate the total dollar cost 
incurred by the industry for compliance with the standard.

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission 
specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:
--Whether the collection of information described above is necessary 
for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including 
whether the information would have practical utility;
--Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of 
information is accurate;
--Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected could be enhanced; and
--Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be 
minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological 
collection techniques, or other forms of information technology.

    Dated: March 15, 2001.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 01-7041 Filed 3-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P